Amalgamator



Feb. l7.' 1925.

Filed July 27, 1923 maria M 311/ p C/K/FFEL' I 140 I I g gze Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID C. KUFFEL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WADE H. WILLIAMS AND ONE-THIRD TO EDWARD A. MoNEER, BOTH OF LOS ANGELES,

CALIFORNIA.

AMALGAMATOR.

Application filed July 27,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID C. KU FEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to amalgamating apparatus for the recovery of precious metals, and a purpose of my invention is the provision of an apparatus which accomplishes successfully and economically the extraction of precious metals from ore pulp, and particularly the fine or oomminuted particles of metals.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide an amalgan'iating apparatus in which ore pulp is introduced into a body of mercury in such manner that the particles of precious metals are retained in the 1ner cury, while the remainder of the pulp is subjected to an agitating operation in which fines, together with any mercury which has adhered to the particles of pulp, are separated from the tailings and subsequently recovered. By means of my invention, the loss of mercury incident to amalgamating apparatus heretofore proposed, is positively prevented.

Although I have herein shown and will describe only one form of amalgamating apparatus embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying, drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view showing in top plan one form of amalgamating apparatus embody ing my invention.

Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1. taken on the line of such figure. 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewtaken onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, my invention in its present embodiment, comprises an amalgamating bowl or. hopper 15 supported in elevated position upon. a frame 14 and including a reduced upper portion16 havinga discharge spout 17. The hopper, as shown in Fig. 2, is provided centrally thereof with a dis- 1923. Serial No. 654,162.

charge pipe 18 having a gate valve 19 which controls the discharge of mercury, indicated at 20, together with the recovered particles of precious metals. A supply pipe 21 eX- tends downwardly into the hopper 15 with its discharge end submerged in the body of mercury 20. This pipe 21 is designed to supply the ore pulp together with water from a suitable source to the apparatus and in such manner that the pulp is discharged into the body of mercury, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The portion 16 of the hopper is preferably of rectangular formation, and secured to this portion is a fluine or trough 22 which is also of rectangular form, but which is of V-shape in cross section, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Above the trough 22 is a rifilc trough 23 which is mounted for movement by means of hangers 24 provided with sleeves 25 which are secured to a rod 26. The rod 26 is mounted for reciprocating movement within bearings 27 carried by standards 28 secured to the hopper section 16. The rod 26 is adapted to be reciprocated in any suitable manner, such as by a cam 29 fixed to a shaft 30 journaled in bearings 31 and driven by means of a pulley 32. A bearing 33 embraces the cam 29 and is connected to a connecting rod 341, the latter in turn being connected to the rod 26.

As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3, the bottom of the trough 23 is perforated, as indicated at 35, and arranged at regular intervals within the trough are riflie bars 36. As shown in Fig. 1, the riflle bars extend transversely of the four sides of the trough.

In order to prevent packing of the pulp within the trough 23 and to thereby insure the fines being deposited, together with the particles of mercury, into the concentrating trough 22, jets of air are adapted to be sup plied to the trough in order to constantly agitate the material at points adjacent the riflle bars 36. For this purpose an air supply pipe 37 is connected to a distributing pipe 38 of rectangular form, such distributing pipe being provided at intervals to branch pipes 39 provided with valves 40 and with portions which extend into the trough 22. These portions are formed with perforations 11 (Fig. 2) from which jets of air emanate so as to pass upwardly through the perforated bottom of the rifile trough 23.

It is desirable to confine the concentrates, as well as the air under pressure, within the trough during the amalgamating operation, and to this end. the spaces between the troughs 22 and 2?) are spanned by strips of flexible material such. as leather or the like, such strips being of sufficient width to allow of the necessary movement of the trough 23 under the action of the reciprocating rod 26. It will beunderstood that the strips 42 are sutliciently flexible to allow of a small degree of movement of these side portions otthe trough which move longitudinally.

Discharge troughs l3 and H are provided for the troughs 23 and 22, respectively, and it will be noted that the trough 22 is provided with a discharge opening 45 in communiczition with a short length of pipe 456 provided with a valve 4-7. By this structure the disi'har 'e of concentrates from the trough 22 can be regulated as desired.

The operation of the amalgamating apparatus is as follows: The ore pulp, to-

gether with water, is supplied to the pipe 21 under pressure so that the pulp is forced from the discharge end of the pipe and thereby into, the body of mercury 20. its the pulp rises through the mercury, the particlcs of precious metals are retained within the mercury, as will be understood while the remainder of the pulp will rise above the body of mercury and after continued operation of the apparatus this pulp willoverflow from the hopper through the discharge spout. 17. From the spout 1.7 the pulp is introduced intothe rillle trough 3, the tines passing through the perforated bottom of the trough into the concentrating trough 22. Owing to the constant movement of the trough 23, the pulp is continuously agitated 'to effect the. separation of the railings from the lines. Under the action of the jets of air, a. packing of the trough of the pulp 2 isprevented, has been described, so that the passage of the fines from thetrough 23 into the trough 22 is at all times insured.

Owing to the fact that the ore pulp is under pressure when dischargedfrom the pipe 21, it will be understood that the particles ofore are projected upwardly with great rapidity and during such movement the mercury is liable to be deposited within the interstices of the ore particles and thus carried upwardly with such particles and finally deposited into the ritlle trough 23. By virtue of the constant agitation of the trough 23 and the agitationof the material therein the air jets, separation. of the mer curyfro nthe' ore particles is effected, with the recovered mercury being-deposited into the trough 22 so that it may be subsequently separated from: the fines after the-two are conveyed froin the apparatus.

\Vhen the; body of the. mercury 20. becomes loaded with the particles of precious metals, the apparatus is brought to rest and a further supply of ore pulp discontinued whereupon the mercury can be discharged from the hopper by opening the gate valve 19. A discharge faucet 48 is associated with the hopper 15 to allow the draining off of slime from the body of the mercury, as will be understood.

it has been successfully demonstrated that by introducing the ore pulp under pressure into the body of mercury in the manner previously setforth, a thorough amalgamation of the precious metals is obtained and to such an extent that the extraction of the liner; particles of'metals, which are ordinarily lost is effected.

It to be particularly noted that through the-medium of the several branch pipes 39 and the valves 40, the force of the air jets emanating from the perforations of the oianch pipes can be regulated as desired so that should the packing tendency of the ma terial treated be greater at one point than another. the valves can be regulated to take care of this condition so that the packing of thematerial at anypoint within the riftle trough can be prevented.

'lVhat. I claim is:

1. An amalgamating apparatus comprising a receptacle adapted to contain i'nercury. a pipe extending into the mercury and from which a. material to be treated may be dis harged downwardly into the mercury. the receptacle being open at the top, a conceutratiug trough mounted outside of the top of the receptacle. a reciprocating ritl'le trough mounted above the concentrating trough and having a foraminous bottom discharging into the concentrating trough and the concentrating trough being complctely enclosed except through the bottom of the ritl'le trough, and means for discharging compressed air into the concentrat-in'r trough to pass upwardly through the bottom of the ritlle trough.

2. An amalgamating apparatus, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a body of mercury, a pipe. extending into the mercury and from which a material to be treated is discharged into the mercury whereby the preciousmetals contained in the material are extracted, means for re ceiving the remainder of thematerial, said means having aforaminous bottom means for forcing compressed air upwardly through thebottom, means for constantly moving the receiving means so as to effect separation of the tailings and concentrates. and means for receiving the concentrates.

3. An amalgamating apparatus, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a body of mercury, a p pe extending into the mercury andt'rom which a material to he treat d isidiseharged into the mercury whereby ltlt) the precious metals contained in the ma terial are extracted, means for receiving the remainder of the material, said means having a foraminous bottom, means for constantly moving the receiving means so as to effect separation of the tailings and concentrates, means for receiving the con-- centrates, and fluid pressure means for pre venting packing of the material within the first means, the fluid pressure passing upwardly through the foraminous bottom.

4. An amalgamating apparatus, comprising a receptacle having an upper portion from which a treated material is adapted to be discharged, an agitated rifile trough surrounding the upper portion and into which said material is discharged, said riflie trough having a foraminous bottom, and a concentrating trough for receiving the ma terial. discharged through the first trough, the concentrating trough being enclosed ex cept through the foraminous bottom, and means for discharging fluid pressure into the concentrating trough to pass upwardly through the foraminous bottom.

5. An 'amalgamating apparatus, comprising a receptacle having an upper portion from which a treated material is adapted to be discharged, an agitated trough surrounding the upper portion and into which said material is discharged, a concentrating trough for receiving the material discharged through the first trough, and fluid pressure means for preventing packing of the material in the first trough.

6. An amalgamating apparatus, compris ing a receptacle having an upper portion from which a treated material is adapted to be discharged, an agitated trough surrounding the upper portion and into which said material is discharged, a concentrating trough for receiving the material discharged through the first trough, and pneumatic means for preventing packing of the material in the first trough.

7. An amalgamating apparatus, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a body of mercury, a pipe extending into the body of mercury and adapted to supply the material to be treated directly into the body, a stationary trough surrounding the body, a movable trough above the first trough for receiving the material discharged in the receptacle, means for agitating the last trough, and means for discharging air under pressure upwardly through the bottom of the last trough for the purpose described.

8. In an amalgamating apparatus, a stationary trough, a movable trough above the first trough and into which a material to be treated is introduced, means for discharging a fluid under pressure into the movable trough and at intervals along the length of the same, and means for controlling the last means so that the pressure of the fluid discharged at any one point can be controlled independently of the other discharge points.

9. An amalgamating apparatus, comprising a receptacle having a discharge spout, a stationary trough surrounding the receptacle, a movable trough surrounding the receptacle at intervals between said spout of the first trough, flexible elements for sustaining the movable trough for reciprocating movement, and means for moving said movable trough.

10. An amalgamating apparatus, comprising a receptacle having a discharge spout, a stationary trough surrounding the receptacle, a movable trough surrounding the receptacle at intervals between said spout of the first trough, flexible elements for sustaining the movable trough for reciprocating movement, means for moving said movable trough, air discharge pipes extending into the stationary troughi for discharging jets of air upwardly through the movable trough, and valves for controlling the discharge pipes for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

DAVID C. KUFFEL. 

